The Blessing

​My wife and I moved here to Lufkin 4 years ago to serve the Central and the youth. It feels like a REALLY long time ago! So much has happened! More trips than I can count with more teens than I can count; fortunately, my wife was with on almost every single one of these trips (she’s much better at counting). I’ve taught more lessons than I can remember and been taught even more lessons. I’ve learned a significant amount concerning grace as it was given to me on a consistent basis. I discovered the power of patience as I witnessed our adult leaders work tirelessly beside me through constant trial and error. I’ve been shown the power of youth as I’ve seen some of the most selfless acts of love and service coming from teens who showed me they are concerned for more than just themselves. I’ve watched kids and adults suffer and grow and falter and fight all while being developed into a greater image of Christ Jesus Himself. It’s been a wild ride, one we chose knowing we would be stepping out of our comfort zone, knowing we were inviting God to move through us because we were incapable of doing anything substantive on our own. We have been thoroughly blessed by our time here at Central and we pray the same blessings over you. We don’t know what the future looks like but we know God has way bigger plans that any of us could dream. As a parting word I’d like to share our Youth Ministry's theme verse, you can find it all in Ephesians 3:14-21. “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."